The Causeway
by Charlotte4sometimeS
Summary: A sneak preview of THE CAUSEWAY: When an evil, ancient force threatens the Underground, Jareth is exiled to the edge of the Isle. He has thirteen days to rescue his seized Labyrinth. Teaming up with the amnesic Dorothy who just wants to get home, he soon discovers that there is a whole world outside the Labyrinth with a multitude of characters waiting to help him...


**_Coming soon to 2013..._  
**

**Prologue – Banishment**

"Today is Remembrance Day, sire, a universally acknowledged holiday! Must work continue today as usual? Thou _thyself_ decided to create such a day."

"I am aware of the fact, fool, but since ten years have passed I have ruled that it is no longer necessary to remember the events of that day. I have ruled it out."

"But sir!"

"And now I will do the same to you - _Get Out_!"

The pint sized knight that had requested an audience with the king squeaked and hopped from the room, reluctant to disobey his orders especially on a day like today. He was met in the corridor by a small crowd of goblins, all with anxious expressions and disgruntled mouths. When Sir Didymus revealed that they would in fact _not _be receiving their national holiday, there was a united uproar.

"I asked as thou requested goblins, but he would not move on the subject! What more wouldst thou expect from a fae as Unseelie as Jareth?"

From the Throne Room behind them a voice crept into their conversation.

"_I hear conspiring __**voices**_…"

A wave of squeaks and hiccups was followed by the scatter and retreat of the group. The patter of footsteps echoed into the corridors of the castle.

In the cold open space that Didymus had left sat a thin and extravagant figure who was lounging in a large golden throne. His legs were swung up over the arm of the chair and he was leaning back against the other, one hand over his face and the other tapping a riding crop against his black pointed boot and grey-clothed leg._ After ten years the rabble still wants to humiliate me._ Jareth pondered the haphazard decision he had made on the day of his defeat all those years ago. He had been so emotionally weakened that he could hardly face the repercussions of being beaten by a human girl at his own game; therefore he declared a national day of mourning to commemorate their failures as a fortress. Of course, the inhabitants of the Labyrinth relished the day's break and felt utterly no remorse for their actions, so they saw it as a day to do absolutely nothing. Jareth, meanwhile, spent the first Remembrance Day mostly pacing in his throne room and hating Sarah Williams, picturing all the ways he could have beaten her. The memory of that first Remembrance Day made Jareth chuckle hollowly. _Who would have ever thought that a mere human could have asserted her power over me and contested my Labyrinth? _He knew why it had happened. _She put some bizarre spell over me and I could hardly face hurting her. It hurt me too much. Curses! I __**hate**__ her. If I ever saw her again…_

And although Jareth knew he could see her again whenever he wanted, his pride refused him. The riding crop slapped against the leather of his boot.

A sudden cracking sound like lightning shattering glass resounded around the empty space and made Jareth drop his crop, the wooden stick clattering on the stone. He sat up in his throne pulling his legs up in front of him and saw that the room was turning darker than the night sky and yet the darkness grew more concentrated in the centre of the floor. Blue sparks emanated from this focal point and a few stung Jareth, who retreated into his chair with the pain. His blond wispy hair flew back from his face and his glowing skin became pale as the darkness began to swirl into a tormenting cyclone, sucking in stones, goblets and any loose items; the riding crop danced along the floor and lifted into the mix. Finally, a figure stepped forth from the flux.

Jareth had seen its eyes first – its narrow, red eyes. They shone out from narrow slits and penetrated Jareth's stare, locking him in his seat. Next he saw some macabre pale, bony and sharp fingers twitching in anticipation, and rows of repulsive sharp teeth set in a sordid grin. The other features of the monster were hard to make out; it was as though the whole creature was cast in permanent shadow and sucked any light away. It lifted a spindly hand and with shocking magical force pulled Jareth from his throne onto the floor before dragging him across the stone panels so that he was face to face with the demonic presence. The talons closed around Jareth's neck.

"Who are you and how dare you?" Jareth spluttered, his magic utterly useless and his legs flailing.

The fiend retched a laugh into Jareth's perspiring face and bared his sharp, tattered teeth.

"_You would do best to learn my name, worm! I am offended that you have to ask." _His eyes, although narrow, shone red and gold, and a melancholy yet terrifying song burst from his lips.

"_Through ice and trees and flaming seas  
Through thickening wilderness,  
rise up like the sun at dawn  
And bring you my darkness._

_We did our best like all the rest  
To terminate the Isle  
But fae and farthings challenged us  
So we fought all the while._

_And all in vain, the sun again  
Broke all my force away  
I was named as the last one left  
And hidden that same day._

_Locked away, and who could say  
How long that it would be  
Before a fool unlocked my tomb,  
Tried to liberate me?_

_My fight went on, after so long  
I rose again once more  
Darker than my fallen race  
And stronger than before._

_So run in fear, don't return here,  
There will be no 'here' after  
I have destroyed the world you keep.  
Now, bow before __**Daedmaðr**__!_"

Through the creature's bony, cold hands, Jareth choked frightfully, "_Daedmaðr!_"

Daedmaðr cheered and cackled simultaneously and then stopped abruptly, his fingers loosening momentarily.

"_Now, you will leave this place. Forever. I am Monarch, Commander, Leader. You have…expired. Your ancestors put me away many moons ago. You expected me to recede, but I only grew. And now you will suffer the shameful pain of loss as I did. But I am far crueller than just killing you now. No, you shall have a harsher fate. You have thirteen days in which to challenge me. If you can._"

Jareth had no time to respond. He felt the hand around his neck pull back and then thrust him away. The world around him fell down and spun until nothing was coherent, and Jareth slipped into oblivion.

* * *

_**AN: This snippet is part of a larger project that seeks to write a higher fantasy adventure with Jareth as the protagonist. It will be a crossover with other works, mainly The Lord of the Rings tome and other Medieval and Old English fantasy. I hope to finish it by the end of the year. Yes, there will be action; there will be romance; there will be good and evil. But what I can promise you is that there will be the greatest adventure of all – the quest to resolve Jareth.**_


End file.
